Mr. Bowden is a licensed clinical social worker in both New Jersey and New York.

He has over 30 years of experience working with juveniles on the streets of New York City, in high schools, and in juvenile detention. He earned his BA at Marist College and his Masters of Social Work from Rutgers University.

He is a certified Police Training Commission Instructor, a certified School Social Worker, and a Rutgers University field instructor. He has taught at Georgian Court University as well as been on their advisory board for the Social Work Department. He also taught at Monmouth University as an adjunct professor and is currently teaching at Ocean County Community College. He is past president of the New Jersey Juvenile Detention Association. He sits on various State committees addressing Juvenile Justice issues. He was named the National Juvenile Detention Association’s Service Worker of the Year in 1990; received the New Jersey Juvenile Justice Commission’s Executive Director award in 2004, and the New Jersey Juvenile Detention Association’s Eagle award in 2005.

He has risen through the ranks of the Ocean County Juvenile Detention Center from line staff worker to Program Director, to Director of the Department of Juvenile Services